My father, Jim Collins the Miller (1899-1983), would talk about the painter Richard Murphy who painted these scenes.
Murphy’s vantage point for the first painting was from on top of the big rock across from Camphill’s field (Nugent’s field of old). The detail of the mill and weir is perfect in this painting. I think I can make out the new projection box on the back of the cinema. I believe this projection box was built by Jim Byrne of The Hideout about 1938. The weir burst its banks in 1946. Thus, the date of this painting is between 1938 to 1946.
The water below the weir flowed alongside the mill through the millrace. Downriver from this, a strand of sands and stones divided the main river from the millrace. I have a photo taken on this strand in 1944 of Henry Ferguson (Gutsen Ferguson) and myself in First Communion suits. The picture was taken by a German internee, Johann, who was the only person who had a camera & film in Kilcullen in 1944!
The second painting shows Kelly’s Forge and dwelling house in the Square, where there is now a beauty salon. Cullen’s Bar & Grocery was beside this. Cullen’s was sold by auction in 1944/45 for 600 pounds to Joe McTernan. Further up the street towards Brennans, the gables end of the old RIC barracks is clearly visible. The barracks, a three storey building situated beside O’Connell’s Lounge, was demolished in 1974. This building was also the home of the Ferguson family until 1946/47.
The connection with the Murphy’s in Milemill may be Leo Nolan Senior’s house. This house was built and occupied in the 1940s/50s by a family called Murphys, some of whom emigrated to England.
Jim Collins.
